Page 121 of Home Tears

“You know him.” Nanery smiled. “You’ve talked to him. He’s with Mae all the time.”

That was enough. Dani stood back up. She knew.

He wore a white dolphin on his wedding ring. Dani had sat just in front of them with her back turned. She hadn’t been listening, but now Jeffries’ words came back to her. She heard it all—it’s the dolphin that stood for healing and loss.

Jeffries had told her mom about the dolphin.

“I know who he is.”

Mrs. Bendsfield continued, “I’ve run into him a bit, around town and such. He always knew that I knew his secret, and one time he talked to me about it. Your momma didn’t want her secret told—that she’d been with a married man.”

“He was older.”

“He still is old, but he watches you guys. He keeps updates on you, Dani, from Mae and from you, Julia, through Jake. Your fiancé stops in Mae’s Grill on a regular basis and talks a plenty of his girl.”

Dani was thrown across the boat as a wave rocked the boat.

“Dani!” Julia shouted and reached for her sister.

“I’m sorry!” Nanery shouted now as she stood up. “I could’ve saved your family. I knew all the secrets, but I chose not to. I’m sorry.”

“We have to go!” Jake had been watching the waves. He motioned for them now. “Now!”

“Dani!” Julia screamed into her ear, and Dani reacted instinctively as another wave crashed against them. She dove for something to hold on to, and Trenton gunned the engine. The boat shot across the small divide. The tree brushed against their helm.

They didn’t have time for any more deathside confessions.

Dani grabbed the anchor, her sister, and as her hand made contact—the boat was rocked, and this time—it capsized.

All of them plunged into the cold water.

Dani kicked upward, pulled her sister after her, and both gasped their last breath. Trenton and Jake were there. Nanery wasn’t.

“We don’t have long. I’m holding the anchor—just barely. We’re going to fall fast with the anchor—don’t fight it.” Dani said to the guys, “Everyone has to hold on. Your lungs will burn, but it’s the only way. You gotta trust me!” The guys would be fine. She looked at Julia. “You have to trust me.”

“I do!”

Dani saw that she did. Julia wrapped a hand around the anchor’s rope, and she pulled away from her sister. They were both connected now. Jake and Trenton held on to the rest of the anchor’s rope. Each gave Dani a grim nod.

Dani knew their destination, but she didn’t know if they’d make it or not. “There’s a cave underneath this tree. If I don’t make it, you just swim around the cave and go inside. You keep swimming until you clear the hedge. Then you can swim upward, and you’ll feel the surface from inside the water.” She looked to Trenton. “He knows. He can lead you in, if I can’t.”

Julia gasped. “Shut up. Let’s go.” Then she said, “Dani…” She trailed off, treading water.

“I know.” Dani stopped her. “I know.”

Julia nodded, settled, and Dani saw that her sister was ready.

It wasn’t like the last time, Dani thought before she dropped the anchor. It was time. She was going to find out if death called her number.

Dani—

I’m writing this letter, but I have no way of getting this to you, so it’s not even really for you. Selfish, aren’t I? Well, tough. I don’t know where you are, but you’re right or I’m right. I don’t know which, right now, but this is for me and my mental health. Jake says I need to be ‘sound’ in the head if I have any way to fight this crap that I have. What Jake doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right? Wrong. I’m dying and I know it, and he’s got to admit it.

You know what? I’m pretty mad at that, too. Seriously. I’m here and I’m dying, and you’re the one who took off? I bet you’re rich, married, and you already have kids, right?

Jake seems to think you’re dead. Everyone else, too, but I just think it’s because Aunt Kathryn is spreading that rumor out of spite. She thinks you’ve left her, and who could ever leave Aunt Kathryn? Obviously someone who’s dead. (I’m rolling my eyes.)

She’s demented. I know that, but she raised me. And Julia needs her. Jake’s scared to death of her. That always makes me laugh. It’s really the only moments of amusement that I have lately. I just watch to see how nervous he gets whenever she shows her face. It’s so funny how his hand will twitch. He always denies it, but I saw that he sat on his hand today. And his eyes look so strained. Jake’s such a guy. He won’t admit someone could terrify him like that. Oh, and he has this little jerk at the corner of his mouth. He’s got a nervous disorder, but anyway—I’m writing this letter for me because he told me to.

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